If your kids are used to visiting your parents at their home – with plenty of space and maybe even a backyard – the transition to seeing them in a senior living community might be a jarring one for them. Little ones especially may not really know how to react to seeing your parents’ new surroundings – or to all the other residents who will surely think they’re just as cute as you think they are. However, with a little planning, you can have a great visit at your parents’ senior living community – and even make your kids happy to come back soon! Here are a few of our favorite ideas:
You can always pop a movie in the DVD player, make some popcorn and snuggle up with the whole family, and that’s a lot of fun. But at a place like Aegis on Madison, you can rent out an entire theater to enjoy with your family. This is sure to impress your kids, and lets you give them a luxury it’s just not that common to have anywhere. It can also make your parents feel like they’ve contributed to a fancy good time.
Take a look around at the amenities your parents enjoy at their senior living community and see whether your kids would enjoy them. Are there gardens, perhaps, or a whole room dedicated to kicking back and relaxing? Speak to the staff and see whether you can reserve these rooms for the next time you and the kids are visiting. This can be a great way to make your time together special – and something your children won’t forget.
If it’s appropriate in your parents’ senior living community, let your kids get their energy out by walking through some common spaces with you. If you have an outgoing daughter, she might love to meet other residents in the community (and the other residents would probably love to meet her), and taking a walk together is a great way to get some energy out for your son who just can’t seem to sit still.
This is also a good opportunity to show your children where their grandparents live now, especially as they might be confused or miss grandma and grandpa’s house. There are plenty of new places to discover in your parents’ senior living community, and showing it off to your children can help them feel less awkward about visiting there.
“Maintain traditions that you’ve built with your children and parents.”
If your parents’ senior living community holds outings as part of its life enrichment programs, see whether you and your children would be permitted to come along. If you would be, this can be a great way for them to get to know what your parents do in their community, and to meet other residents who are now their grandparents’ neighbors. It also gets everyone outside and focused on another activity, which can be helpful for little ones who are overwhelmed by change or the sheer size of some assisted living communities.
It’s also very important to maintain traditions that you’ve built with your children and parents, no matter where anyone lives. Have you always read books together? Is there a special blanket that’s just for your son to use at his grandparents’? Make sure to keep these things alive even as your living situation changes. This can help your kids feel more steady about your parents’ move and their life in a senior community.
Follow these tips and find what works for your family in particular. Before you know it, the kids might be begging to come spend time at your parent’s senior living community!
Respite Stays & Day Stays give family caregivers a real break—hours, days, or a few weeks—while your loved one enjoys a safe, enriching short‑term home at Aegis Living. Guests settle into a beautifully furnished private apartment and have 24/7 care staff and onsite nurses, medication management, and discreet safety technology (motion sensors, medical‑alert pendants, visitor check‑in) for peace of mind. Each day feels purposeful with chef‑prepared, all‑day dining and 200+ monthly activities—from book clubs and fitness classes to movie nights—plus full use of the community. We coordinate with your loved one’s physicians to mirror their routines and care, so the stay feels familiar. It’s also a smart trial run for senior living: meet neighbors, test services, and see what supported independence looks like—without a long‑term commitment. Choose a Respite Stay when you’re traveling or need time to recharge, when your loved one would benefit from structure, social connection, and great meals, or when you both want peace of mind while keeping options open.
Hospice & End‑of‑Life Care at Aegis Living is comfort‑first support for the final stage of life, delivered in your loved one’s private apartment by our 24/7 care team in coordination with a trusted local hospice provider you choose (or we can recommend). Together, we create a coordinated care plan that manages pain and other symptoms, oversees medications, and provides calm, dignified help with daily needs, while offering compassionate emotional support for both resident and family. Discreet safety measures and a reliable medical‑alert system bring help quickly; chef‑prepared, in‑apartment meals adapt to changing appetites. Families are guided through decisions and moments of closure so they can focus on being present in a peaceful, home‑like setting. If your loved one already lives at Aegis, they can remain in the comfort of their home, avoiding disruptive moves. Choose this level of care when curative treatment is no longer the goal and you want expert symptom control, hands‑on daily support, and a setting that protects dignity and prioritizes comfort, meaning, and time together.
Memory Care is specialized, secure support for people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias who benefit from a calm, structured environment and round‑the‑clock expertise. At Aegis Living, that care happens in Life’s Neighborhood—an intimate, thoughtfully designed setting where 24/7 dementia‑trained caregivers and a nursing team on site seven days a week deliver personalized help with daily living, medication management, and mobility (including Hoyer lifts and two‑person transfers), while gently redirecting agitation and confusion. Days are purpose‑filled with science‑based cognitive programming, certified music therapy, and social activities; chef‑prepared meals are easy to enjoy and dining spaces and cues are designed for memory support. Discreet safety features like secured entrances, emergency pendants with fall detection, and optional motion sensors, prevent wandering and bring peace of mind, and visiting physicians and wellness professionals reduce trips off‑site. Families receive education and ongoing support. If your loved one is unsafe alone, missing medications, wandering, needs frequent cueing or hands‑on help with bathing or dressing, or thrives with a predictable routine, Memory Care offers the right level of care. For milder needs, our transitional Assisted Living can be a first step; for advancing symptoms, secured Memory Care provides the specialized, heartfelt support to help them feel calm, connected, and at home.